which console?

russel hobb

I've just moved this from the console thread on advice.

Hi all,
I hope i'm not in the wrong place for this question but i can't seem to find a general console thread, so here goes....

I know nothing about gaming.
But my wife and i thought that we would trade in a few hundred of my old cd's to gamestop and surprise the kids with a games console for chrimbo.
The kids are a boy (6) and a girl (5).

From what i've read on various websites i thought the x-box with kinect would be the way to go. But my wife reckons the kids are too young and that we should get a Wii.
To add to that, a friend of mine told me you cant beat the PS3 but someone else said that it's too male orientated.
I'm lost!!!!
I dont think my wife or i will be playing either console much. I've no problem with gaming at all, it's just something thats passed me by, so the focus should be purely on what's best for the kids.

I hope you guys can help us make decision.

Thanks

RH

chin_grin

With the diversity and your children being the ages they are I'd highly recommend the Wii.

The 360 and PS3 are aimed at more "mature" gamers, the mid-teens and up bracket. (And I'd agree more male orientated!) Also considering that both are now trying to crack in to the Wii market with their respective motion controllers x years after the release of the Wii console.

The Wii does have it's fair share of 15+ and 18+ games (Resident Evils [remakes and 4] and Mad World to name..........uh.......two!)

Also not sure if this will help but it has full backwards compatibility with the Gamecube (Nintendos previous console). You can pick up controllers and old games at a decent price online (amazon, ebay, etc).

Just found this article if you're still unsure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_video_game_consoles_%28seventh_generation%29

quarryman

Kids 5 and 6?

Nintendo Wii, no question.

uberpixie

+1 to the Wii. Has all the kiddie orientated games with some casual gaming that may or may not appeal to yourself and the missus .

The Ps3/Xbox can wait another year or two before they start nagging you for that :pac:.

super_furry

Yep, got to be the Wii given the kids ages. An Xbox 360 with Kinect is a lot more expensive and there's only a handful of games available for it right now.

Retr0gamer

A Wii, four controllers and some games like Mario Kart, Mario Galaxy, New Super Mario Bros (a lot of mario but they really are so good), Donkey Kong will be out for christmas, Just Dance or any others will make a great christmas that the family will enjoy.

Duggy747

Yea, go for the Wii. It's more of an "all-round" console for everyone rather than what the Xbox / PS3 aim for.

Plenty of good games for it for everyone to enjoy.

tman

russel hobb wrote: »

But my wife and i thought that we would trade in a few hundred of my old cd's to gamestop and surprise the kids with a games console for chrimbo.

I might be wrong here (haven't set foot in a gamestop in 3 years), but I don't think they accept CDs, only DVDs and games...

The Wii definitely sounds like the best bet to me as well

K.O.Kiki

Buy them one of those MegaDrive retro consoles available for €45-odd (pick up some old, decent 6-button pads on eBay if you feel like it).

Get them started on the classics while you still can.
Let them feel the love of 2D!

SeantheMan

Kids 5 and 6 ?? Consoles ??

Get them action figures, footballs and barbies !!, they are children.

Childhoods go astray these day with television, internet, mobile phones and computer games.

It saddens me not to see any 5-16 year olds out playing on the green etc, best part of my childhood. They'll have plenty of times for computer games later in life.

tonydude

SeantheMan wrote: »

Kids 5 and 6 ?? Consoles ??

Get them action figures, footballs and barbies !!, they are children.

Childhoods go astray these day with television, internet, mobile phones and computer games.

It saddens me not to see any 5-16 year olds out playing on the green etc, best part of my childhood. They'll have plenty of times for computer games later in life.

Very true, im a big gamer and thankfully i didnt get into it til later in life, the best memories i had was playing with brothers and friends, not sitting at a screen like now:D

Retr0gamer

On the other hand my parents tried to keep me away from the evils of videogames ofr years. I firmly believe that this has lead to me being totally obsessed with them now.

Grumpypants

SeantheMan wrote: »

Kids 5 and 6 ?? Consoles ??

Get them action figures, footballs and barbies !!, they are children.

Childhoods go astray these day with television, internet, mobile phones and computer games.

It saddens me not to see any 5-16 year olds out playing on the green etc, best part of my childhood. They'll have plenty of times for computer games later in life.

I got my first gaming machine at 3 which was a Donkey Kong/ Mario game same as a DS but with only one game that was no better than a digital watch but i loved it, by 4 they got me a ZX Spectrum, then Atari, then pc, then NES, snes mega drive, then i got myself a ps1, ps2, xbox, ps3, xbox360. And not one of them kept me from playing football/manhunt outside for 8 hours a day.

It saddens me to see parents deprive their kids of a genuine art form with the misguided thought that kids dont like playing make believe outside.


I would get them the Kinect/xbox pack. Ps3 and a move also has plenty of kids games and can be used by parents to play better games and watch Blu-rays

AnCapaillMor

Retr0gamer wrote: »

On the other hand my parents tried to keep me away from the evils of videogames ofr years. I firmly believe that this has lead to me being totally obsessed with them now.

Heh same here, did'nt get my first console until i was 20.

Retr0gamer

I was younger than 20 but I always got the hand me downs when all my friends had the newer systems. Was 18 when I got my first summer job and was able to get my first up to date console.

I think the Kinect/360 or PS3/Move combo is way too expensive to get.

Grayditch

Yeah send them out in then street... in this weather. :rolleyes:

Since you didn't ask for a parenting lesson, my response is go with the Wii.

russel hobb

Thanks to everyone with advice on the consoles, it looks like the Wii is winning out so far.


As for this.........

SeantheMan wrote: »

Kids 5 and 6 ?? Consoles ??

Get them action figures, footballs and barbies !!, they are children.

Childhoods go astray these day with television, internet, mobile phones and computer games.

It saddens me not to see any 5-16 year olds out playing on the green etc, best part of my childhood. They'll have plenty of times for computer games later in life.

My kids play tennis twice a week and swim at least once a week (either at the swimming pool or in the sea beside us) They both play GAA every saturday and rugby/hockey on sunday. And thats just their current scheduled activities.
I could rant on and on but I wont.

I started this thread to get peoples advice on consoles, not parenting.

muserock

I miss the good aul days of tetris, yeah I have a wii and it's more of a family orientated console, my liitle cousins love to play it and their around the same age as your kids.

Magill

russel hobb wrote: »

Thanks to everyone with advice on the consoles, it looks like the Wii is winning out so far.


As for this.........



My kids play tennis twice a week and swim at least once a week (either at the swimming pool or in the sea beside us) They both play GAA every saturday and rugby/hockey on sunday. And thats just their current scheduled activities.
I could rant on and on but I wont.

I started this thread to get peoples advice on consoles, not parenting.

WELL BLOODY SAID !!

Yeah, diffo go for the wii. Theres some really fun games, besides all the sports and active games you can get for it, theres also the likes of mario and zelda games which are great fun too (For all ages !)

There aren't that many games for the PS3/Xbox that are targeted for children tbh.

valleyoftheunos

Absolutely go for the Wii.

Xbox360 and PS3 are quite complex and aimed squarely at an older gamer.

The Wii is a great family console with loads of really great games aimed at younger kids that they will find really accessible and fun. Just be sure to avoid any game with a "Z" somewhere in the title where there should be an "S" and you'll do fine.

russel hobb

tman wrote: »

I might be wrong here (haven't set foot in a gamestop in 3 years), but I don't think they accept CDs, only DVDs and games...

The Wii definitely sounds like the best bet to me as well

Tman,

I spoke to gamestop and they said it's 1euro per CD (albums only, no singles/compilations etc.) and 80cent per DVD as long as they're in their case.
Thats for in-store credit, 50cent and 40cent for cash.

russel hobb

If I do end up going for the Wii, what accessories will I need? Joysticks/paddles/steering wheels/fit boards...............
I don't want to buy everything as I'm sure there is gimmicky stuff, but if I am going to get one then I would like to be well set up.

chin_grin

russel hobb wrote: »

If I do end up going for the Wii, what accessories will I need? Joysticks/paddles/steering wheels/fit boards...............
I don't want to buy everything as I'm sure there is gimmicky stuff, but if I am going to get one then I would like to be well set up.

Just the controller and the "nunchuck" (bit that connects in to the controller). As you said everything else is just a psychosomatic tool to make the controller better (tennis racket, golf club). Although the wheel looks cool...........wonder does it make me better at Mario Kart!

The Fit Board is just for Wii Fit and those dance games. Although I did see an ad for the Wii Fit plus (which has a calorie counter) and would like to get that.

Also get decent batteries/charger for the remotes! Can't stress that hard enough.

Grumpypants

You will need a Wii console, it comes with one controller and nunchuck (second part of the controller), you will need an extra controller and nunchuck for two player games.

But i would not recommend you get one its a awful console and very expensive. Also a word of warning it works nothing like they show in the ads.

A PS3 would be a much better option as they will have it for the next 5 or 6 years. If its going to be in your sitting room then you can use it to play DVD's and Blu-rays (as well as playing your own games once your hooked)

At 4 and 6 they will be more than capable of working it my niece can work one perfectly and she is 2 1/2.

Retr0gamer

You only really need the 1 nunchuk included with the consoles, almost all multiplayer games use the Wiimote only so four of them and you can all play multiplayer. I recommend the Wii because the whole family can get in on the fun and despite popular opinion there's plenty of excellent games on the system if you do some research and avoid crap like carnival games. For Xbox and PS3 there's very few games on them that cater to kids and even less that cater to kids that are also 4 player simultaneously. When they get older and want more they can upgrade to a 360 or PS3 and by that time they'll be about 120 euros.

tman

russel hobb wrote: »

Tman,

I spoke to gamestop and they said it's 1euro per CD (albums only, no singles/compilations etc.) and 80cent per DVD as long as they're in their case.
Thats for in-store credit, 50cent and 40cent for cash.

Nice one, didn't realise they did that now!
I was just trying to save you the embarrassment of walking in with a massive box of CDs only to be turned away, but it looks like I was in the wrong as usual.:o

chin_grin

russel hobb wrote: »

Tman,

I spoke to gamestop and they said it's 1euro per CD (albums only, no singles/compilations etc.) and 80cent per DVD as long as they're in their case.
Thats for in-store credit, 50cent and 40cent for cash.

Sorry for taking this a little off topic but that's absolute robbery! I'd rather give my stuff in to Chapters (um, Dublin) as they usually give more. Well, when they take the stuff!

Sisko

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Buy them one of those MegaDrive retro consoles available for €45-odd (pick up some old, decent 6-button pads on eBay if you feel like it).

Get them started on the classics while you still can.
Let them feel the love of 2D!

I agree with Kiki here. Cleared out my room the other day and found my old mega drive and games, ah such good times.

I'd deffo treat my kids to some classic's if I had kids now, especially at that age. Then move to the modern consoles in a year or two.

(Off topic, anywhere I can buy mega drive pads for cheap? My old ones are in bits)

penev10

I have a Wii and a PS3 and my 5 year old son likes the Wii games the best. In fairness all consoles have games aimed at all age ranges so I don't really think you can make a wrong move as such.

The DS probably has the best range of games for kids. Also doesn't hog the tv!

Nodferatu

aah who posted the sega mega drive streets of rage that was class, i remember that.

ghostchant

Sisko wrote: »

Off topic, anywhere I can buy mega drive pads for cheap? My old ones are in bits

The RAGE on Fade St. (where Road Records was) sells retro stuff at a decent price, pretty sure they had mega drive pads last time I was in, wasn't looking for them though so not sure. They do have a decent selection of MD games though.